Battle of Burton's Mill

The Battle of Burton's Mill (30 October 1776) was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought between the United States and Great Britain in present-day Manhattan, New York City. A force of 1,000 British Army troops were dispatched from Brooklyn to flank George Washington's army, but a smaller militia force of 700 troops under Leon Martin were able to repel the larger force despite having the odds stacked against them.

Prelude
The campaign for New York City began on 3 July 1776 when Major-General Sir William Howe landed on Staten Island with 22,000 British and Hessian troops, and the British proceeded to defeat George Washington's 10,000-strong Continental Army force at the Battle of Long Island and chase Washington into northern Manhattan. The New York campaign then turned into a series of skirmishes between the British and Americans, and Howe sought to launch an attack against Washington's army to end the rebellion. On 30 October 1776, Howe dispatched a small force of 1,000 troops to cross the East River and sneak into lower Manhattan to mount a surprise attack against Washington's army in Harlem. However, Leon Martin and his force of 700 militia were there to stop the British, and they met in battle at what is now the intersection of East Houston and Avenue D in the East Village, which was farmland at that time.

Battle
The American militia were lined up with a battery of artillery on their right flank, and they were desperately outnumbered by the British troops under Colonel Henry Burton. However, the Americans were on the defensive, and they succeeded in mowing down several British Army troops as they marched to battle with them. The British marched through many channels in between the sparse houses, being fired on by some shrapnel shot as well as the colonial militia. When the British charged the American forces in melee, more American soldiers would close in to join the melee, and the British army suffered heavy losses in the battle. Burton was shot in the back while leading the retreat, and the British were defeated. The result of the battle was an American victory, halting Howe's plans to attack Washington's army.